Little Liars

[xanthepants]

So apparently Cosette loves telling fibs. No idea why. Doesn't understand that she is telling a lie or that it is a lie.

Latest is that she was telling Grandma about a party that we are apparently having for Daddy and is she coming? All his work friends are invited. Cosette is very concerned because she doesn't know what in the world she is going to bring to the party.

Um what party you little freak? There is no party. And of course Grandma thought I was the one lying about it and keeping her in the dark at first. Geez oh pete's.

And of course there are the lies about "Did you have a cupcake with grandma?" When I clearly see that there are cupcakes gone.

Are your kids into fibbing right now?  Imagination is one thing, but the outright lying is getting to me.

[traceyt07]

Yes, Amelia is. Yesterday she started taking things from daddy's desk (which she's not supposed to do) & I saw her. I asked her why she did it and she blamed Asher.

[bliz1712]

Hanna fibs, but more so when I ask her a question like the cupcake one. She'll say no initially and then respond shortly after and say Mom, I'm just fibbing.  I notice it happens more often when I try pumping her for info.  Maybe that's what happened with your MIL?  She was asking a bunch of questions so C just answered.

She's more into lying about things at daycare. Like she'll tell DC that I told her she didn't have to take a nap. Or she'll claim someone hit or bit her and then bring it up for a week later.

I think their imaginations can run wild at this age. It is really funny what they come up with. Except in your situation when your MIL probably thinks you're lying.

ETA: Another big one is she will lie when she's angry or something isn't going her way.  One day she lied and said V pushed her when I watched the whole thing and V clearly did not push her.  I just explained about lying and how it's not nice to do.

[roo1582]

Kayleigh has started lying quite a bit too. She tells us things happened that didn't. She will outright lie if we ask if she did something (and we know she did). For example, we'll ask if she wet her pants. She will say no, then take her hands to cover her wet spot. There have been several other instances. We have a lot of talks to say we don't lie.

[xanthepants]

I'm not overly concerned and can laugh about it (even the MIL stuff). It's just annoying if anything. How do you communicate the concept of "truth" verses "lie".
It's funny, I'm getting more hung up on trying to illuminate her on these more elusive concepts than I thought I would, especially at 3! I thought these things would come a whole lot later.

[snickers4everyone]

Yes. Emmy is quite the little liar. She will do something and claim Nicky did it. She'll just make crap up too. It bugs me some, but she's three. My mom, though, goes nutty about it. Not to Emmy, but talks to me about it. I'm like, "yeah, we're working on it."

[aimeefarrahfowler]

I feel like I can't believe half the stuff my kid tells me. I don't know if it's lying or just his imagination working or what.

Yesterday he was at SIL's and she didn't see what happened, but A ended up with a black eye. Her 5-year-old admitted he hit A with a toy, but if you ask A he says "I fell down".

[paddyb]

Henry definitely lies. Both things that appear to be purposeful lies (like did you ask daddy already? and answering no when I know he did) and things that are likely imagination related.

[roo1582]

I'm fine with the story telling where she says something happened that didn't. At this point I just think its her imagine at work. But she does the "Daddy said I can..." even though I was there when he told her "no." Those are when the talks happen. She is big on opposites. So we tell her its not nice to say the opposite of what happened in order to get what you want and that is called lying.

[trixi282]

Yes! Joey is definitely lying lately. The other day I asked her if she had finished eating her breakfast and she said yes. So I said ok, and started to walk toward the table, seeing that she clearly hadn't eaten any more since I had left the table... so I asked her again if she ate all of her food - being more clear about eating the food not just "being done eating" and she said yes, I ate my food. So I said, Joey you still have lots of food on your plate, and she just smiled and said "yeah... I do..."

So I told her it's not nice to lie to mommy. And that if she didn't finish her food to just tell mommy because it makes me more sad when she doesn't tell the truth.

It happens quite often, especially with food and picking up toys, or things like that.

[trixi282]

Oh yeah - I'm pretty sure she tells fibs about things that happen or things that were said at daycare too.

I've had to ask her about things she said before... I think sometimes she misunderstands what happens or what was said and the intentions, but other times I wonder if she's making things up.

[laurski81]

Yep. I will ask him about his day and then immediately text my sister or my mom to see if whatever he said actually happened. 9 times out of 10 he's lying. Except when I buy something and he rats me out to my H. Then homeboy can't tell a lie or keep a fucking secret.

[britbratjf]

Yup lots of fibbing around here. Nothing so elaborate as having a party (ha) but certainly will lie about taking a nap, finishing food, whether she's had a granola bar today, etc. I also think she makes up stuff about school but have no real way of knowing. H & I just tell her that she needs to tell the truth & not lie but I don't know how to really explain the concept.

[xanthepants]

laurski81, Oh yeah totally. Kid can't keep a secret to save her life. I ordered all presents online this year for bday because she tells him EVERYTHING. Even what's on his birthday card. It's ridic. I'm shopping over the lunch hours a lot more now.

[bliz1712]

I must have jinxed myself. Yesterday Hanna spent the afternoon with my Mom. When I saw her I asked her what they did. "We went to the park, and then we went to a store and bought you a red sweatshirt. But MiMi told me that it's a secret." I lol'd and text my Mom. They didn't buy me a sweatshirt and my Mom never mentioned keeping a secret. They did go to a store and exchange a sweatshirt for V. Silly lier mclierson.

[justbeth]

Yep. Emma makes up elaborate stories to the point of I'm not sure if it's considered lying or an over active imagination.

[MissMusic]

It must be the age! One of Lillian's friends has a serious problem with lying and they are having a tough time dealing with it.

Lillian lies to be manipulative or to avoid a consequence. I get the latter, but the manipulation is not good. She'll ask daddy for some gummy snacks, and he'll say "did you ask mommy?" She'll respond with, "Oh yes, she said ok and daddy will help me get them". In truth, she never asked me at all!

We've had chats about what "the truth" is (existential, I know), and I know she understands. Grrr!

[aylafsu1881]

Lots of fibs here. Mostly about snacks, going places, and toys though. H and I just try to correct E without making a big deal. I agree with bliz. I think it is her imagination and she is not doing it to be malicious.

[bantyrooster]

He does but is really bad at it. I am lucky 99% of the time his story is so crazy I know its not true.

[lainikins]

Nov 13, 2015 8:00:37 GMT -5 bantyrooster said:

He does but is really bad at it. I am lucky 99% of the time his story is so crazy I know its not true.

This is us. He is a horrible lied. He always changes to a really strange voice when he liar. The kid is not sneaky.

ETA: He will tell elaborate stories, but they always have a train in them as the main character, so I know they are fake.

[Riverdong11]

Liam seems to sometimes get confused and think things actually happened, but for the most part he is honest to a fault. I can't even count how many times I've gone to pick him up from school and the first words out of his mouth are naughty things he did that day.